My Last Breath
by Bitter.Season
Summary: The war against Voldemort rages on. The losses are great, especially for Percy. AU, PHr.


Summary: The war against Voldemort rages on. The losses are great, especially for Percy. AU, P/Hr.

Author's Note: You see, I got this idea while I was singing in the shower, and I realized just how sad this song really is. So, I figured that I could probably write a songfic about it. Just so you know, songfics are not my forte, so this will probably be the worst piece you'll ever read from me. Oh, and on the off chance that you may actually like Percy, I suggest finding a happy fic to read after this one, because it is a bit dark. 

Disclaimer: You know how J.K. Rowling owns all those spiffy Harry Potter characters? Yeah, well I'm not her, so therefore I own absolutely nothing. I just created a little plot and borrowed a few of her characters for a while to have my fun. The song 'My Last Breath' is from the wonderfully talented group, Evanescence.

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My Last Breath

Percy closed his eyes, willing himself not to cry. The field in front of him was covered in bodies, a sea of blood lapping at his feet. He passed by the crumpled forms of his brothers, Bill and Ron, without a word, not stopping until he reached a tiny brunette laying on the only patch of ground visible amongst the masses. Her wavy, brown hair was spread out beneath her, and he couldn't help but think that she looked a lot like an angel.

He knelt down beside her, a hand splashing in a puddle of her blood. Percy cringed inwardly, staring down at the woman who should have been his bride. He could almost hear her speaking to him, but that didn't stop the pain from radiating through his body with every breath he took. Every breath that she would never again take.

He took her up in his arms, burying his face into her shoulder and sobbing. Someone touched his arm, but he shrugged them off. They tried to pull her away from him, whispering calming words, but he shoved them away. All he knew was this little spot on the field, and the little piece of heaven lying still and silent in his arms.

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hold on to me love

you know I can't stay long

all I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid

can you hear me?

can you feel me in your arms?

Hermione drifted above the battlefield, caught somewhere between heaven and Earth. She watched with vague understanding and rapt attention as her fiancee took her lifeless body into his arms. Silvery tears streamed down her face as she reached out to touch him, gasping as her hand went through his cheek. 

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holding my last breath

safe inside myself

are all my thoughts of you

sweet raptured light

it ends here tonight

She knew that she didn't have long before she had to ascend, unless she chose to live a pointless, shadow of an existence haunting the earth. Though she knew he'd do anything to see her again, he would have never wanted that for her. She wished, for just a moment, that she had held on a little longer, so she could have at least said good-bye. But that moment passed quickly, and she knew that it would be better this way. He would remember her as strong and beautiful, not the weak and ruined mess she had been at the end.

"I love you, Percy," she whispered, but her voice died in the cold December night before a living soul could hear. All around her, the spirits of her dead comrades were drifting upwards like tiny puffs of warm breath in a winter wind.

She clung on a little longer, watching as Percy picked her limp body up, carrying her away from the masses of fallen witches and wizards. He paused only once, casting a tearful gaze over his twin brothers, who sat, clinging to each other over the body of their little sister, Ginny. Her wounds were still leaking blood, little clouds of steam rising as it hit the snow beneath her. Even bruised and broken, Hermione still thought that Ginny was beautiful.

Hermione stared at the scene in front of her sadly. More than one beautiful and innocent thing had been destroyed this night.

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I'll miss the winter

a world of fragile things

look for me in the white forest

hiding in a hollow tree (come find me)

I know you hear me

I can taste it in your tears

Hermione felt a tug, saw the white light burning above her. This is it, this is the end, she thought as she took one last look at Percy. She knew that she should be afraid, but the light was too pleasant and warm to worry her much. She didn't have to know much about Divination to know that she'd be seeing Percy soon, she just wished that she could stop him from doing the inevitable.

With one last, unnecessary, breath, Hermione stepped into the light. Her last thoughts were of Percy and the dreams of what could have been.

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holding my last breath

safe inside myself

are all my thoughts of you

sweet raptured light

it ends here tonight

========--------*--------========

It had been three months, but Percy honestly couldn't tell. All the days seemed to melt into a lifetime now that she was gone. He spoke to no one, coming out of his room only to use the bathroom and eat enough to keep him clinging to life. His mother had tried to reason with him on several occasions, but he had ignored her, instead, reading over the wedding vows that he had written the night before they were sent out to battle.

It was a dark, frigid night in early March when he stumbled upon a conversation between his brother, Charlie, and his father. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, he was only walking down to the kitchen for some water, but their words caught his attention.

"Let me see if I understand this entirely. They know where he is, but they won't let anyone get near the place? If we catch him off-guard, Dad, we may just have a chance!"

"I know, Charlie, I know. It's not my decision to make though. The Minister has decided that it's best to wait until Harry's ready. You know that Harry is the only one who'll be able to defeat the Dark Lord. It's pointless for anyone else to try."

"Where is he, Dad?"

"He's hiding in the Shrieking Shack at Hogsmeade. No one knows why he chose that particular location, but we think it may be because of the easy access to Hogwarts through the tunnel. We have Aurors working on blocking the passage, but it's proving difficult."

"I understand."

"Tell no one, Charlie, especially not Percy. I hate to think what he would do if he found out where He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is hiding."

Percy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew what he had to do, whether it meant going to his doom or not. Walking back to his room, he quickly retrieved his wand from his desk beneath the window. A full moon hung heavy and low over the frozen countryside, and Percy paused to stare at it for a moment. Hermione had always loved the full moon. She claimed that it was a fascinating thing to study, but Percy suspected that it had more to do with the fact that they had made love for the first time under a full moon the previous summer.

Percy started toward the door, but hesitated as he noticed the edge of a photograph jutting out from under the bed. He picked it up, and stared down at the two people smiling up at him. It was hard to believe that the picture had been taken just five months before. He felt so much older now as he took in the innocent expression on their faces.

Closing his eyes, he pictured Hermione standing in front of him. She reached out to touch him, but before she made contact, her body turned to dust. Percy opened his eyes, placing the photograph on his pillow and heading toward the door. He knew that she wouldn't want him to do what he was about to do, but there was no escape, no release from the constant pain. At least this way, something would change.

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closing your eyes

you pray your dreams will leave you here

but still you wake and know the truth

no one's there

Instead of walking out, he Disapparated, reappearing in the village of Hogsmeade. It didn't take him long to get to the Shrieking Shack, and it took even less time for him to find a way in. It seemed that Voldemort wasn't worried about visitors dropping in.

He drew in a shaky breath, pulling his wand out of the internal pocket of his robes. Stepping in to the shack, he was surprised to find that it was colder than even the air outside. He stumbled his way down a hallway, following the ever brightening light that flickered off the walls.

Percy found himself in what must have been a sitting room at one time. Now, all it contained was a solitary chair, resting in front of the crackling fire. A figure sat there, but from behind, Percy had no way of knowing who it was. A voice filled the air, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

"I know why you're here," it whispered mockingly.

Percy raised his wand, ignoring the way that his hand shook as he held it in front of him. "Show yourself," he called out, surprised to see that even with a fire burning merrily, his breath still came in puffs of steam and mist.

"As you wish, you foolish boy."

The figure stood, and Percy gasped. For the first time in his life, his mind went completely blank. He couldn't think of a single incantation or charm. All he could do was focus his attention on the end of the wand that pointed directly at his chest.

In that instant, he thought he saw her standing beside the fire. Looking past Voldemort, her beautiful hair flew about her as she shook her head and screamed silently, waving him away. "Hermione," he whispered, his arm wavering slightly.

"Ah, the little mudblood. I took great pleasure in killing that one. The way she writhed in pain near the end. You won't have that opportunity though," he said, waving his wand as casually as he would while performing a simple spell. Percy knew he took pleasure in this and wanted to fight back, but his thoughts were consumed by Hermione's regretful face and an eerie glow that suddenly bathed the entire room in green light. He took one shaky breath…

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say goodnight

don't be afraid

calling me

calling me as you

fade to black

Author's Note: I'm sure that you all know what happens next, but in case it needs actual explaining, here's the absolute basics. Percy's dead. In case you pay no attention to details in the book, the killing curse, Avada Kedavra, is accompanied by a green flash of light. There shall be no more to this piece, for all the obvious reasons. Review if you'd like, if not, thank you for reading and have a nice day.


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